Avdija Leads Trail Blazers' Hot Start

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is averaging 23.4 points through seven games as the team starts 6-1.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Basketball

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is averaging 23.4 points, 6.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds through the first seven games of the 2026-27 season. The Trail Blazers are 6-1 and rank best in the Western Conference.

Why it matters

Avdija's production makes him the Trail Blazers' leading scorer, minutes and field goal attempts leader as the team posts one of the conference's best early records. His start follows a summer role discussion with new head coach Micah Nori after Ja Morant and Damian Lillard joined the roster.

Avdija is averaging 23.4 points, 6.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game through seven games, with two double-doubles. The sample is only seven games, and it is not yet clear whether his output will hold as the new guards settle into the rotation.

The players

Deni Avdija

Avdija is a 25-year-old Israeli forward who became the first Israeli NBA All-Star last season.

Micah Nori

Nori is the new head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, who discussed Avdija's role with him this summer.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are an NBA franchise based in Portland, Oregon, competing in the Western Conference.

The details

Avdija became the first Israeli NBA All-Star in league history last season. This summer he and new coach Micah Nori discussed his role by phone after Ja Morant and Damian Lillard were added to the roster, and Avdija has said he was concerned about his place.

Summer 2026: Avdija and Micah Nori discuss his role in a phone call.
2026-27 season, first seven games: Trail Blazers go 6-1 while Avdija posts his scoring averages.

Season Trajectory

Avdija's early production extends the All-Star form he showed last season, now tested by a roster that added Ja Morant and Damian Lillard. Portland's 6-1 start puts the Trail Blazers at the top of the Western Conference early in the 2026-27 season.

Avdija's 23.4 points per game make him the central scoring option in Portland's lineup, which matters for fantasy managers tracking his usage. Fans following the Trail Blazers can track whether his assist and rebound numbers stay near their early levels as the rotation changes.

The takeaway

Early production from a key role player often shows whether a roster change is working before the season's midpoint. Watching how Avdija's numbers hold with Morant and Lillard in the lineup will indicate whether Portland's start is sustainable.